Tank-filling valve



Oct. 1.4, 1930. C, E, MACE 1,778,114 TANK FILLING VALVE Filed Feb. 12,1929 2 Sheets-.Sheet 2 inf/'8,1m

il* ,n l Y i v V I allall'lb STATES @FFICE CHAI-:Lne in. MACE,0F.annivEn. CGLORADO, TANK-rimini; VALVE l nppneanonfiea February la,19.29.,;r seria; yNo. 339,330. This invention yrelates to tank fillingthe interference ot' unskilledworkmen.

Y valves and 'float operated mechanisms for Other objects andadvantages'reside inthe operating the same. It is more particularlydetail construction of the invention, lwhich applicable to toilet tanksand will hedeisdesiwned for simplicity, economy, and ef 1 l5 scrihedasAapplied to such ra use. lt is not, vrliciencv These will become more`apparent 55 however, limited to this use but will yfind from thefollowing description.` v4iii-any valuable applications whereveil it 1shln the following detailed descriptionr of desired to control t'nelilhngof a tank by invention reference is ,had to the accom- "means ofta i'loat operated valve. :panyingdrawings which `formapart here- ,./210Toilet tanks at preSIlt rH1 11S@ Wlll begin /ioffuliike numerals referto like parts in all 60 to lill the water level therein lowers SO Vviews'of the drawings and ';h1oughoutthe that the noise o'i the graduallyopening valve description. f

becomes apparent evenfloetore the water has @In the drzwving:y

'been discharged ronithe tank, One of the VFigsl l and 2 are'lvertieal,longitudinal 15 ohiects of this invention is to providea supsectionsthrough "a toilet tank, illustratingr65 ply valve and operating`mechanism which the invention fin place therein.` Inthese will notfunction until the desired quantity views,V variousiparts oi' theinvention arciloi water has heen discharged from the tank 'lustrated invsection to show the inte/rior gand'which will thenopenquickly to a fullmechanism. In Fig-.- l the mechanism vis .20 opening.k f .shown as itwould appear while the tank is 70 39 Still another object of thisinvention is to lli.

Another disadvantage ot the present toifilling. `In llipj.v 2 themechanism is shown let .tanks is that the supply valve'will gradas ityould ,appear while the tank is empty* ually close as the tank fills,resulting in a ingl long, drawn-oat` whistling and exceedinglyy Fig. 3is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical 25 annoying sound. Another objectof the insection `through the valve operating ioat 75 vention to providea valve and inechamechanisimtaken on the line 33,Fig. 5. nisni `whichwill not function until the tank Fig. l is a horizontal sectionthrough-the hask been conipletelv `filled and will then roploat andlioat chamber taken on the linea-Jl,

er'ate :quicklyv to close the supply valve. Fig. 2. f

g. 5 is a plan 'viewof the floatmechanism 80 Y provide a valve which canhe opened against asit would appear from the line 5--5, Fig; 2. thepressure oit the water in the supply pipe 6 is a detail View of analternative with but a minimum of eort and which will form of"supplyfvalve which might he used in opei'.\; 'immediately to provide alarge dis- Iplace of the valve illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

3 rcharge opening` so that all noises caused by ,Fig 7 is any enlarged,vertical `section 35 restriction of the flow will he eliminated. j,throug'h the supply valve oi Fig. 6.

. `vA iurtherohject of this invention is to iInth'e drawing, a toilettank of the usual provide a valve 'which will he opened byy"construction is illustrated at l0 with its flushmeans oi a weight andin which lthe weightv ing nipple at 1l and flush hall valve at'll.V will.weig3 nothing when the valve is being l The mechanism for operating'thelii'sh hall 90 closed, so that it willhe nnnecessaryior the valve,has not been 4'illustrated'since itforms operating mechanism p to littthe weight rio-part of this invention and of the preswhen closin thevalve. u Y l ent types of flushing mechanism may be em- A still furtherobject of this invention is ployed for dischargingi,r for flushingthetank. to provide an `operating` mechanism which .v My inventionemploys a standpipe 13 95 l will loe positive inoperation; which willal- ,clampedto the bottom of the tank l() by means ways ldiscliarge andadmit exactl),7 the same of' a clamp nut ll and threaded as shown'iatquantity ot water; whichwill have a ininil5 for attachment to the watersupply pipe, mimi' of vfearingsurfaces; and which can as nsuali'nconstructions ot thisnature. vnot hecomemisadjusted by constant useOrAlo1igside oit andopeningto ythe sta-ndpipe 13is a valve housing 16 towhich accessmay be had by means of a threaded cap 17. The bottom of theyvalve housing 16 is open, the opening being surrounded by a valve seat18v arranged to .be closed by means of al supply valve 19.

k,The supply valve 19 `is actuated from a y inaf'ter designated simplyas the float 27. .The float 27 is preferably cylindrical in threadedinto an air fitting 35 whichV supports shape' and is formed around anaxial tube 28 which ope .sthroughthe top and bottom of the oat 27 and isarranged to slideoverla vertical rod standard 29. rlhe float 27 is connnected to the lever 23 by means'oii' an L-shaped arm 30 hinged to theextremity' of' the lever-23 at 31, and hinged to a clamp fitting 32 at33. The fitting 32 is` clamped 'or soldered on a projecting extremity4of the axial tube 28, as

illustrated in Fig. 3.

The standard 291s maintained `verticalby means of a` base member 34 intowhich it is kthreaded or otherwise secured. Thek base kcasting 34 can beso constructed as to formi apart of the iushing nipplell vor maybeclainped under the ilange of any of the presy ent nipples so as tomaintain it vertical in the tankv 10. I

The upper extremity ofthe standard 29 is an open-bottomed, cylindricalfloat chamber 36 about the float 27. The float chamber 36 is Y 40'.

clamped to the fitting 35 by means of hollow sleeve or air tube '37which is threaded theref on and acts to clamp the top of the float cham-`berand maintain it rigidly in position.

Passages 39 are formed in the fitting 35 whichallow air to escape fromthe float cham `ber 36 into the air tube 37. VThe upper'exf tremity ofthe tube37 is normally closed by means of a resilient washer carried ina concentric proj eotingcap 41on the air chamber 38. The cap 4lisprovided with discharge openings 42, and is formed by closing.thefupper extremity of a bearing tube 57 *,Which passes thru-.the float38 and acts as a V slide or guide upon-the air tube 37.

It will be noted that the walls of the float 27 are, perforatedby meansof openings 43 which 'allowl the `float to' fillandremain filledWitlrwater to a predeterminedheight so that will act both as aweight toopenthe supply yalve 19 and as a float 'to close the valve 19.

.Let usassume that the mechanism is in ,i the aosition illustrated inFiO'. il.' YVater is now flowingl from the supply pipe into the.-standpipe 13 through the open valve seat 13 1,into-l the tank V11G-the :ball valve 1.2.being closedA to prevent discharge of the water.rEhe float-27 cannot rise with the rising water level in the tanl; 10,because of the fact, that the float chamber 36 acts as lan .airbell toprevent the water -from rising about t-heffloat 27. rlhe lioat will,therefore, maintain the positionof Fig. 1 unt-il the water levelpassesabove the top of the float chamber 36 and liftsor floats the air chamberor float 38 as indicated Vin vbroken line at A in Fig. 1.V This .w

raises the washer40 from the extremity of the air tube37 and allows theair in the float lchamber l36 'to immediately escape through thepassages 39, thetube 37 and the openings 42. This allows the water toimmediately fill the oat chamber, lift the float 27, and iinmediatelyclose the supply valve 19.

let willbe noted that thatk part of the iioa't vabove the openings 43isr neverlilled with water and will always vbe buoyant to'operate themechanism. That part of, the float below the oaeninos 4 3 Vtho filledwith Water will have ne weight when submerged since theV water contained`therein will displace an i amount of water in the tank. j i596.

Let' us new assume that the tank isliushed vor in other ywords that theball flush valve k12 is Vlifted from the flushing nipple 1l, as; n

.illustrated in 2. This allows the water te rushfrom theitanl 1 O andrapidly lowers' tn water level therein. Y The float 27, how# f) since'it is completely vsurrounded by vthe ier, cannot fall with'the fallingwater level water in the float chamber 36,'which cannotV escape from thevfloat chamber until air is admitted 'hereto todisplace it. Therefore,the float 27 will remainraised Or suspended and will maintain the supplyvalve 19 closed until lthe water level reaches the open bottom of thefloat chamber 36. rlhis will allow airV to rush-in at the open bottom toimmediately Vdisplace the water therein and allow the. weight of thewater within the float 27 to drop the float to the position of Fig.l,quiclly opening the supply valve v19. i Y

The impact of the failing float absorbed by the remainingv water in thetank lO, and the float finally stopped by i'neans of a rubber cushion44, wnich*surrounds the standar-(i529 above the base member 34. The

' .11.11 is partially impaetot the rising float is absorbed by. a Y

similm rubber Vcushionwhich is compressed between thetop the float andthe air fitting 35. i i i' T he supply valye 19 will operate underconditions Vwhere 'the pressure in the supply pipe is relatively low;For operations `where there is a relatively high'pressure in the Vsupplypipe a valve, such asillustrated in This valve is ed7 and claimed morein Figs. 6 and 7, is preferred. illustrated, desc detail in applieautskcopsndingy application, rio. 269,915, Jfiled April 14, 1923, whichissued. Oct. 3, 1

Q9, raamt No. 1,730,374.. f

izo

fItsLV construction.: .willrbe but bfey Out-Ene@ be-rein. il". i

f'lhis valve employs?v a valvef?housingv 46; somewhat similar tothepreviously described valve housing 16. :Thehousing'llo hasy a relytivelylarg-e cylindrical;valvexseat 47'l in its bottom;` closed by means' oanannular valve i8 carried on a large; concentric 'tube 49. The tube 49extends above'the valve 48 ato form a second valve. seat 50,w-bich is in`turn closed by means. of fa ,second valve l,

ycarried on" a vsecondsmaller concentric tube "52.12 The tube 52projects above the valve .5lto form a third valve seat 53, wl'iichiis in'turn closed by means of a third valve 54 car.-

ried yon a small concentric tube The tube surrounds a valve stembi'ormedon tl e ,eatremity the L-shaped arm21. i

,vVhenthe valvesare `all ciosedf'the large` l m49 will project below thebottom ofthe housing i6; the sniallerr tube 52 willfproject below thetube 49; and the smallest tube 55 `will project belovv the tube 52,yas-illustrated in Fig. 6. Thus, when the armvv 2l rises,-itkrfi/fill,rirstlittf'tlre or smallest valve 54k against the pressure ofthe waterinfthe houszmg' 46. This immediately `relieves the pressure inVthe housing so as to facilitate `the opening of the remaining valvesflThearm Qlwillcthen' coi'itac'tf'with the sleeve. 52 and lopen thegvalve.511 followed by contact with thesleeve i9 andv opening oi" theL'otfallf oi' so numerous and so lla'rgeftliat therey will' be vnorestriction whatever' in velooity rand no noises oli restriction atthis'` point. i s

-ffItwill be noted that ythe.standpipe1B 'hollow' and' closedV atitstop. ltthus acts an' air' cusliionto'prevent the quick closing ot'theif'alve'from creatine a Water hammer.

VVhile'a specific form oi lthe improvement 'has been describedand'illustrated herein, it is desired to be understoodthat the same maybe varied, within the scope of the upper d claims, without departingfrom the spirit et the invention.

' Having thus describedv the invention, wbr

' I claim and desire secured by Letters iatent *A55 VMeans for operatingvalve .from the changing water level in a tank comprising: a floatchamberopen to said tank; float adapted to rise in said iioatrchamber;an

operative connection between s .id float and said valve; andmeans forrelieving air *rom A saidfloat chamber when said Water reaches apredetermined level in said tank, y

2. Means for operating a valve from the J `changing water level in atank comprising: a

an operative connection between said float and said valve; and means forrelieving air from said float chamber when said water reacb'esapredetermined level in saidftank; said means comprising a second float;an air valve' communicating with said float chamber and actuated by saidsecond float;

3. rMeans for operating a valve romthe changing water levelinf a 'tankcomprising: an open bottomed float chamber supported in said tank; afloat adapted to operate in said 'floatchamber through the open bottomthereof; an operative connection between said float land said valve asecond'fioat above said 'first j float; and anair valve controlled bysaidsecond float so as to allow air to discharge from said floatcbamber'wheu the waterin` said tank reaches a predetermined level.

` 4. vMeans for operating a valve"from'the changing water level in atank comprising: au yopen bottomed iioat'chamber supported in said-tank;a float yadapted"tofoper'ate'in said 'float chamber through theopenbottom thereof; an operative connection between said float and said`valve g? a second float above ysaid rst float and anainvalveicoiitrolled if by said second-floats() as-to allow vair, to-fdischargefrom said `lloat'-"chamber fivhen the ywater in said tankreachesfa"predetermined level said air valve'y comprising anairftubevextending above said float'chainbr into said second iloat'; yand avalve/disk carried by said second lioat andarranged to closethe upperextremity oi said air tube. i

5,. Means" for operatinga valve from'the ch anging water levely tankfcomprising auopen bottomed float `chamberl"supported :in said` tank ;7a`float adapted to operate in said Afloat chamber throughth fopen bottomthereof; an operative. connectionl between said fioat and valve; asecondfloat above .said first float; and an air valve controlled bv'saidsecond vfloat so astofalloivair todiscliarge from said float `chamberwhen the waterin ysaid tank'reaches a predeterminedleyehsaid ioathaving' openingsfin' its Wallsfso4 thatp it will remain partiallyfilledwith Water-` and act as a Weight asit descends.y

1 6. Means for operating a;` valve'from the changing water levels ina-tank comprising; a verticaly standard in said tank; a `,flQl-tarrangedto slide along said standard; an. operative ,connection betweensaid. iloat and said valve; an openV bott'ornmfloat chamber supportedbysaidstandard above andabout said yfloat; and a floatl operatedvairvalve adapted to allow air to exhaust from said. loatchamber when thewater in saifbtank reaches a predetermined level. .1 i y,

iiifMeans for *operatingr a valve from the changing water levels inatank comprising:` a vertical standard in vsaid tank af float iar-`ranged to slidealongsaid standard; 'an operported by said standardabove and' about l'oat to 'rise therein; and

CIR

said float; and a loatoperated air valvev adapted to allow air toexhaust from said float chamber when .the water in said tank reaches` apredetermined level, said air valve comprising: a tube extending abovesaid float chamber and supportedrby said standard; passagescommunicating from said float chamber through said tube; a second floatarranged to beguided bysaid tube; and a valve 'disk carried by saidfloat and adapted to yclosethe extremity of saidtube.

, 8. Means for operating a valve from the changing water levels in atank comprising:

a vertical standard in said tank; a float ara ranged toslide along saidstandard; an operative connection between said float and said,

valve; an open bottom float chamber supported by said standard aboveandabout said float; and a float operated air valve adapted to allowairto exhaust froinsaid floatl chamber when the water in saidtank reachesal predetermined level, the open bottom of said float'chamber beingspaced above the'bottom of said tankso that air will'enter said lioatchamber when the vwater level in said Vtank falls vbelow said openbottom.

79. Means for operating .a valve fromthe rise and fallof water inatankcoinprising:

an air bell inverted in said tank; a floatr adapted to rise 'and fall[within said air bell; an operative connection between saidv float `iand said valve; means fordischarging air' from said bell when saidwatervreaches a predetermined high level so as toallow said iloat torisetherein; and. means'for admitting air to vsaidv bell when the waterreaches a predetermined low level so vas to allow the suspended water todischarge from said vvbell and allow said float to fall therein, saidmeinsy comprising ,the open bottom ofjsaid bel i v 1 f ,10; Meansfor'operating a valve from the rise and fall of water in a`tankfoomprising: an. air bellinverted in said tank;- a float adapted vtorise and fall. within said air bell; an operative connection from saidbell .when said waterv reaches a predeterminedr high klevel so as toallow said means foradmitu the water reaches so as to allow the tingairto said, bellA when apredetermined low level suspended water todischarge'from said bell- .and allow said fl n o atto 'falljtherein,said -f'ormer meansy comprising a float operated air VlVey-S'aid lattermeans comprising the open bottomofsaid bell. f

ii. rniing mechanismjfrloiia ,mais

comprising.:v a standpipe; a valve chamber supported alongside ,of andcommunicating with saidV standoipe; avalve seat in said l. Y' 'i l4valve chamlrier;.asupplyvalve adapted to Y betweenj said float and saidvalveymeans foryvdischarging air fclose said seat with the water.pressure in said standpipeand open said seat against the Waterpressureytherein; a' lever pivoted on said standpipe; av connecting' memberbetween oneeXtremity of said lever and said valve for operating saidvalve;"and a float actuated mechanism operatively connected to thevothereXtremityof said lever.

12. Filling mechanism for toilet tanks comprising: a standpipe; Va valvechamber supported alongside of'and communicating with said-standpipe; avalve seat in said valvechamber; a supply V*valve adapted to close saidseat with thev waterlcpressure insaidstandpipe and open said seatagainst on said standpipe; a connectingk member between one `extremityof said level and said valve; and a float actuated mechanism openatively connected to the other extreinity'oi i "said lever, comprising:a iiXed standard; a float having y said ioat actuated mechanism 13.Means for operating-A a valveffrom the :1.1

rise and fall of water in a ktank comprising:

an air ,bell inverted` in saidvtank; a float` adapted to rise and fallwithin said air bell; anVoper'ative connection between said float andvvsaid valve; means forv discharging air from said Vbell when said waterV,reaches a float to rise'therein; and means lfor admitting air to saidbell when the water reaches a predetermined low level 'so as to allowthe suspendedwater to dischargegfrom said bell and allowrsaid float tofall therein, saidlatterfineans comprisingv the open bottom of saidbell, there being openings vthrough the wall of said oat so as to allowit to parii tially fill with water to create a weight; In testimonywhereof, I aiix my signature. :i

" CHARLES E. MACE.k l

so vthe water pressure therein; a lever pivoted a predej f lpredetermined highlevel so as to allow saidVV V

